Organization of the Swazi Kingdom

Organization of the Swazi Kingdom

Political organization

Swazi is an African tribe of the Embo- Ngoni group of the Bantu people / speakers.

Swazi kings with the title Ngwenyama were the heads of government with too much of absolute powers. g was advised by a small Privy Council called Liqoqo which had his kins and henchmen.

There was also a General Council called Libandla, which consisted of all chiefs and important men of the Swazi tribe. These structures also formed the chief’s government.

There were a number of chieftainships as the kingdom was a confidence. The chieftainships had their own traditional authority time immemorial. They were responsible to the king who was taken as the overall paramount chief.

Swazi Kings and there ascendants came from the Nkozi -Dlarnini royal clan.

The General Council in the state Libandla discussed national affairs, as it also helped to reduce the king's absolute powers. All adult males in the state could attend the Libandla.

The Swazi forces were not organized into a standing army but they had age- regiments. Young men who served in the royal homesteads as regiments also acted as a standing army.

Although the Queen Mother (Ndlovukati) wielded no real power, she was the unofficial head of state.

The Queen Mother had a unique position and was to be consulted in all tribal affairs. She could influence the king and acted as a regent if the King died.

Economic organization

The Swazi people were both cultivators as well as cattle herders. They were cattlemen who attached considerable economic and ritual value to cattle.

They also practiced black smith, hunting and fruit gathering in the Jungle.

Corn was an important staple food although other crops included sorghum, millet and wheat grown on the fertile lowlands and upland areas.

The Swazi people were also Viticulturists and Horticulturists as the products were exchanged with their neighbors and the Europeans.

They also received grain from those people who produced and stored it in large qualities in times of drought and or shortage.

The Swazi also involved themselves in a profitable trade with the cape colony and the Delagoa Bay in Natal.

They also bought guns and horses from the Cape.

Social organization

The Swazi kings were traditionally polygamous and their wives never came from the royal clan- Nkosi Dla mini

They spoke SiSwati, which language was closely allied to Amazulu and Amaxhosa, both of other Embo- Nguni speaking group.

The king was a central figure among the Swazi religious affairs.

The corning of the Europeans in the Swazi territory brought and fought for the state including western civilization, education, Christianity and crops.

The Swazi are also Christians, although African traditional religions have roots.